Electric-current interrupter.



Pn'rnn.' n. commes, t or PATENT OFFICE.

rnnmonfr, immensen.

ELEWl?RIG-CUlttlilNVJ- INTERRUPTER.

coince. Satanism of an .im proved de `vice whereby a current of undue intensity for produced in a telephone, telegraph, or other conductor vof electricity, v.by lightning or otherwise, Ais interrupted' and conducted to the'ground, before it 'reaches any mechanism `connected,with the conductor which would be damaged by suc-ha current. Means are; rovided -by the invention' for removably' ,l olding. the fuse elementin' piace' in 4such device'.

When read in connection with the description hereim. the characteristics of 'the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, wherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

urposes of illustration.'

e reference-characters refer to correspending parts in the several views of the drawing, of which,-

Fi re'l is a plan vievv; Fig. 2 is a sectiona View; Fig: 3 is a. view ,of a fuse ele- 'ment; Figs. L and 5 are views of a retaining member and-Figs. 6 and 'Y are views ofa clamp.

Referring more. particularly to. the drawings, '8' 'designates a base or carrying member ,having proJecting from -one surface thereo` v pairs, the

Asite ends -o binding-posts 9 with heads 10 counter-sunk in to the other surface, the projecting screw.'- threaded ends 1l. of the posts carrying nuts 12. The binding# posts are arranged in sts of a lpair being near oppothe base, and the ends of a linel conductor 13 are capable of being connected bythe nuts 12 of a pair to the binding-posts.

Each binding-post of a .pairhas connected thereto by compression between its lower nut Vand the base `a conductive retaining member 14 of spring material extending centrally from .the post and elined with the' lkememberconnected to the other post of the ein -Membe'r 14 is 'flat where engaged by the nut of thebinding-post and is curved outwardly from the basetbetween itsends. 55"

Its free endopposite to the binding-post is new rame. Patent-eri Jelly' is, 1ero.

Application filed August 28, 1908. Serial No. 4565/10.

'normally Araised and disposed Aover a conductive plate 15 secured to the surface of the base by' a fastening element 16.

L clamp 1.7 is arranged to engage the curved portion of every member 14e to press its ,free-end toward its plate 15. This clamp has, neer one end, laterally-projecting 'pivots 18, by which it is pivot-ed on and between standards-i9 rising from the plate 15. @n the same end es the pivots the clamp is formed with a' projecting portion 20, and toward the other end it is curved in an opposite direction to end and then in the same direction to the end to form a projecting end 2l disposed in the same direction as end 20. When the clampis swung in one directionon its pivots, `its end 2O engages -Inember ls to press it toward plate 15 and its other end 21 also engages that' member to prevent further movement of the clamp in that direction and swing of the end 2O to loosen engagement of that end. The clamp is loosened y'reversal of this movement in an obvious manner, the curved portion of 'the clampbeing conveniently grasped between the fingers and thumb oi the operator.

To form a-connection between plates 15 of a pair, there is provided afuse element 22. This 'element includes a Astrip 23 of thin layers of mica between which is disposed a fuse- Wire 24, or it may include a strip of any other suitable non-conductive material with the fuse-Wire embedded therein. Each end of the strip is bound with a piece of conductive material 25 with which the 'fuse-Wire is connected. The strip is arranged to be clamped between'and held in place by members Mend plates l5,4 the members engaging andl forming a connection with the conductive end's 25 and thereby with the fuse-Wire. The plates of a pair are thus connected, clamps 17 operating for this purpose in the manner already described. Intermediate the ends, the fuse element is formed with one or more openings 26 therethrough which are crossed by the fuse-Wire.

It will be seen that the fuse elements can easily be slipped unde1 the ends of members 14 and held in place thereby by operation of 'the clamps. In order to prevent the fuse elements, on being slipped under members 14, from movinor too far tothe side, and in order to proper y position them under the members, stops 27 are'located on the base by :1 Ifuse element on reacl'iing tho [i1-opor posillon undermembers 14 whon nlipljx-fil in lfron'i the other.' Sido.

Avross the huso, :it or about the oontor tinrisvorso lino tlioroli hotwot-n the binding* posts und lintlor tho position ol the openings 2li olib tho 'foso'olon'ient, is located :1n zu'- restor-vplute 2f-l, tlposotl on or (-n'ihoffltled in. the huso. The u11^este1'1)luto has thereon t l'iinimg-pot 12,9, to which o gro|111d \\iro $150 wm ho connected. The liaise, on ,itis opposite sido, iS Forn'iizl with n groove 31, ii'oceSs 39, mtl operi uro 355, throoglli which tho groin'ifflwire nmy ho lod to the bindingpost.

The normal current of a lino-conductor 13 passt-s through from ont: binding-poot to the other of a pair by Way of moinber 14. and fuso element 22, mi ordinary current romainino insulated from the Minster-plate A hy Ifo-uson ol tho insulation 21% on' {ilse-wir@ 211e :mtl by the fact that tlm insulatim. kottho fuse-wire: ruisot'l from tho plato idiom it crosses openings 26. VJht-fn a otnrenf, of unusual intv-nsity sift op in the conductor by lightning or otherwise, the tngo-Wire will burn out :it the. openings 26 Where it is t=xpofsetl to 'the ntmospliore', and the- Currentwill jump to the arrestebplate and be conductetlto the ground by tho grouncl.-w1e.

tho continuance of the currentto intrrvV monts or other ports on the line-conductor lnhlo to 'ho linjur'ofl thoi'ohy tljiufwl boing avoided.

VVhi-m ai fuso i lmi'norl ont., it is'. not nocifs Hairy to send a4 slrillotlolootrioiz'm to put 'in ai new foso, any 'nnokillod person, such as tho Ordinary telophono silhcrilyifr, may loosen Clamps l?, withdraw tho limrned-outfosso Gleim-nt, .slip in :iv now fuso element, and lasten il in place luy tightening the clamps.

fl-Iziving (hits described my invention, what 'olniln as non', ztn'tl il-af'siro to fseouro'by Letters Potoi'i tg is A @lamp for electric conf'luctors comprising n l'mso, a spring lnen'ihor connected near on@ ond to said. basso und having a .free and normally raiscl from said brise, a plato positioned onder-th@ freq ond of said spring niomhor :intl nrrmigofjl to be engaged by :1 contltiotor, .standards on said plate, and :1 pivotetl Inoinhor on. sold stmidzu'ds operable to engage id spring men'iber and clamp tho coiulmtor' hot-woon tlv.A spring member and said, plato.

In testimony whereof I olli); my .signature in presonco of two witnossos.

PE'lER E. CUMINGS.

Witnessesz- EMMA Gonna, WALDo W'INTERSTEN. v 

